In Brief -Elected
to the U.S. Senate in Nov. 1996, re-elected in 2002. President of
McCarthy & Co., an investment banking firm based in Omaha, Nebraska.
President and CEO of World United Service Organizations. Co-founded
VANGUARD Cellular Systems, Inc., a publicly traded corporation, in the
mid-1980s. Deputy Administrator of the Veterans Administration, nominated
by President Reagan in 1981. Manager of Government Affairs for The
Firestone Tire & Rubber Company in Washington, DC, 1977-80. Staffer
to Congressman John Y. McCollister (R-NE), 1971-77. Newscaster and
talk show host with radio stations KBON and KLNG in Omaha starting in 1969.
Served in Vietnam in 1968, two Purple Hearts. Graduate of the the
Brown Institute for Radio and Television in Minneapolis and University
of Nebraska at Omaha. Born Oct. 4, 1946 in North Platte, NE.
[Timeline].

NotesAn Independent CourseSen. Chuck Hagel's independent-mindedness
appears to sit well with Nebraska voters, who re-elected him in 2002 by
the largest margin ever in the state's history, but that same maverick
streak has at times alienated fellow Republicans. Most notably Hagel
has been an outspoken critic of the Bush Administration's handling of Iraq.
An article in the August 12, 2002 issue of National Review labeled
him as "Sen. Skeptic (R., France)" and described him as "Bush’s #1 war
critic in Congress." On October 8, 2004 during the second presidential
debate in St. Louis, Democratic nominee Sen. John Kerry cited Hagel's criticisms
of the Administration's handling of the war. In an article in the
June 27, 2005 issue of U.S. News & World Report, Hagel stated,
“The White House is completely disconnected from reality... It's like they're
just making it up as they go along. The reality is we're losing in
Iraq.” MoveOn.org PAC featured that quote in a TV ad. To take
another example, as 2005 drew to a close Sen. Hagel was one of four Republicans
to join with Democrats in opposing extension of the Patriot Act due to
civil liberties concerns.

Hagel has also taken an independent
course in introducing several legislative initiatives. On October
25, 2005 he introduced comprehensive immigration reform legislation which
would address national security, employment verification, workforce needs,
and accountability. The package, which consists of four bills, is
a toughened version of the legislation Hagel sponsored with Sen. Daschle
in the last Congress. Hagel's proposal does offer a path to legalization
for those who have resided in the United States for at least five years;
in addition to fees they would be required to pay a $2,000 fine.
On October 19, 2005 Hagel introduced legislation which would create a Comprehensive
Entitlement Reform Commission to review Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.
On March 7, 2005 he introduced a Social Security reform proposal, the first
such bill introduced in the Senate in 2005. The proposal would move
the retirement age from 67 to 68 starting in 2023 and would start a voluntary
program for those 45 and younger to put some money in personal accounts.

Hagel's March 12, 2007 non-announcement
("I am here today to announce that my family and I will make a decision
on my political future later this year.") fell decidely flat. His
name continued to pop up, however. Appearing on CBS News' "Face the
Nation" on May 13 Hagel said that he had recently dined with New York City
Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who has been frequently mentioned as a possible
independent presidential candidate. "It's a great country to think
about a New York boy and a Nebraska boy to be teamed up leading this nation,"
Hagel mused.

Articles and ReadingsJoseph Lelyveld. "The
Heartland Dissident." The New York Times Magazine. February
12, 2006 (cover story).On C-SPAN's "Q&A,"
program date November 13, 2005.George Neumayr. "Ground
Chuck." The American Spectator. January-February 2005 (cover
story).

Charlyne Berens. July
2006. CHUCK HAGEL: Moving Forward. Lincoln, NE: University
of Nebraska Press."Berens
charts Hagel’s quick rise to national recognition and influence and examines
the background that has led Hagel to an outspoken internationalism that
often puts him at odds with his own party and president. This complex,
plain-spoken Nebraskan may be on his way to the White House. Charlyne
Berens explains why and how... Charlyne Berens is a Professor of
Journalism at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln."

PhotosJuly
28, 2006-Addressing U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East in a speech
at the Brookings Institution.March
20, 2006-Speaking at the International Association of Fire Fighters'
2006 Alfred K. Whitehead Legislative Conference.March
19, 2006-Speaking to reporters after an appearance on ABC News' "This
Week."Oct.
16, 2005-Answering questions after an
appearance on CBS News' "Face the Nation."Sept.
6, 2005-Addressing New America Foundation forum on "Terrorism, Security,
and America's Purpose: Towards a More Comprehensive Strategy."May
4, 2005-At the "Politics and Eggs" forum
in Bedford, NH. ["Politics and Eggs"
by The New England Council and The New Hampshire Political Library]March
6, 2005-Answering questions after an appearance on CBS News' "Face
the Nation."